Process of converting petroleums and other heavy liquid hydrocarbons into volatile hydrocarbons distilling below 150° c.



- bone of unpleasant smell, by

PAUL SABATIER AND ALPHONSE MAILH'E,

SOCIETE DES RAFFINERIES CATALYTIQUES DES PETROLES ET HYDROCARIBURES,

OF PARIS, FRANCE.

PROCESS OF CONVERTING PETROLEUMS AND INTO VOLA'I'ILE HYDROCARBONS No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, PAUL SABATIER and ALrHoNsn M AILHE, cltlzens 0f the Republic of France, and residents of Toulouse, France,

have invented a new and useful Process of Converting Petroleums and other Heavy Liquid Hydrocarbons into Volatile Hydrocarbons Distilling Below 150 C., which is fully set forth in the following specification.

In our prior French Patent, No. 400,141,

dated May 21, 1908, there is described a process of transforming crude petroleums or lamp oilsinto essences distilling below 150 (1, the process comprising two stages: the first of which consists in passing vapors of crude petroleum, or of crude petroleum deprived of the essence, over divided metals heated to a temperature between 400 C. and dark red heat; the second stage consisting in converting into products of a not unpleas ant smell, the volatile products obtained in the first stage and consistin for the greater part of non-saturated oxidlzablc hydrocarsubmitting their vapors to hydrogenation in the presence of divided metals maintained at a temperature between 150 and'300 C. The two stages of the process can be combined, so as to bring. about a continuous manufacture. Experiments carried on, have shown that, by following the course indicated in the first stage,'that is to say, by using the divided metals described in the above-identified patent, namely porphyrized iron, divided copper, copper, iron, nickel, cobalt obtained by the reduction of oxids by hydrogen or any other reducing gases, zinc powder, divided platinum, or the form of filings, or mixtures metals associated in various which mixtures are obtained by the association of the metals prepared beforehand, or prepared by the reduction of the mixtures of oxids, or obtained by chemical precipitation, such as iron or zinc in the form of of the same powder, brought into contact with copper,

solutions, or the same divided metals supported on pumice stone, asbestos or coke, the deposits of carbon materials produced, form with the said metals compact associations which are impenetrable by gases or vapors,

paralyze their action and cannot be conven- 1ent1y regenerated bythe process described Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 11, 1914. Serial No. 850,502.

' silicious materials such as silica, (glue, dextrin,

same metals taken in they proportions,

OTHER HEAVY LIQUID HYDROCARBONS DISTILLING BELOW 150 0.

Patented Sept. '7, 1915.

in the said patent, that is to say, by the action of steam at 500 C. or by an oxidation followed by a reduction by means of hydrogen or any other reducing gas. This effect is still more pronounced when for dividing the material, are used silicates or pumice stone, asbestos, coke, slllca, etc., capable of forming with the metals or their oxids, easily melting of TOULOUSE, FRANCE, ASSIGNORS TO I slag which produces a compact material impenetrable by the gases and vapors.

The present process consists in substituting, for the preceding metals, either the same metals, or the oxids or salts capable of producing them by reduction, mixed with neutral materials free from silica, such as magnesia, alumina or bauxite, lime, baryta, strontium or carbonates of the same oxids, graphite or any other neutral substance which does-notcontain considerable quantities of silica, or even the same metals, oxids or salts, either alone or mixed, associated with the same neutral materials by any desired agglutinant which does not contain starch, etc.). The ag glomerates thus formed, are molded in the shape of regular or irregular briquets, balls,

tubes, coatings or fragments of any desired shape. These agglomerates dry, or the mixtures above referred to, are introduced into tubes of iron, cast iron, steel, etc., or into earthenware tubes provided inside with a non-silicious coating,

'ryta, bauxite, .etc.

he temperature at which the said first stage is carried out with the assistance of the materials described, will be between 400 C. and bright red heat.

When oxidsare used in plape of metals in the mixtures described, or in the agglomerates above referred to,the reduction of the said oxids can be effected by means of vapors of hydrocarbons, at the same temperature as that present at the beginning of the first stage. a

The said first stage, in which vapors of lamp oils or crude petroleums or petroleums deprived of essences, any residues of petroleums or shale oils or resin oils or any other liquid hydrocarjoons of any origin, are caused to pass over the above mentioned mixtures or agglomerates, results in producing gases and volatile liquids easy to such as magnesia, ba-

condense, and in the formation of carbon deposits on the mixtures or agglomerates, which, at the end of a very long time, reduce their actlvity. When the said reduction of I activity has become considerable, it is very a easy to revivify the catalyzer,

first by the action of steam at the same temperatures, the

.steam being substituted for the vapors of be utilized in other operations, either as a briquets, and dr ed.

reducing gas or as. a fuel, immediately or after having been deprived of carbonic anhydrid by being washed in a suitable alkaline absorbent under pressure, or by some other means, consequently, when the generation of gas by the steam has stopped, and the whole metal has been converted into oxid, the steam is replaced by hydrocarbon vapors to be converted. These vapors first of all reduce the oxid into metal which'begins almost immediately to produce the redoubling referred to inthe first stage, and

the reaction again continues as hereinbefore described.

The first stage of the present process comprises therefore two steps; during the first of which hydrocarbons, petroleums, shale oils or resin oils are introduced, which initially reduce the oxid formed, into metal, and subsequently are partly transformed into gas, liquids more volatile than the original product, and carbon, under the action of the divided metal thus produced; and the second step, in which steam is used to remove the carbon deposited in the mass during the first step. These two consecutive steps can be repeated indefinitely. Their respective duration varies according to the nature of the materials selected and according to the nature of the hydrocarbons to be converted. I

The volatile portions distilling below 150 (3., obtained during this first stage, may be separated out and converted intosaturated non-oxidizable hydrocarbons, by direct hydrogenation by the process described in the aforesaid French patent, or by any other.

process.- As regards the liquid portions ob tained, which are not volatile below 150, they are repeatedly treated like the original hydrocarbons, until the complete conversion.

Example 1. Mix thoroughly 40 gr. of cal 100 gr. of porphyrized e very homogeneous mixture to avoid deposit of iron.

- Example 2. Mix thoroughly 5.0 gr. of calcined magnesia and 120 gr. of ironfilings. Add a s'olutionof dextrin, so as to obtain a homogeneous paste whichi'smolded to form volatile hydrocarbons a temperature between 400 Example 3. Mix in a thoroughly homoge is stirred from time to I Example 4. As perfect mixture as possi oxid of iron (150 gr.) is re- Example 5. 30 gr. of precipitated alumina and gr. of porphyrized lron are mixed; The whole is agglutinated with a solution of dextrin, and the mass used for making briquets.

It goes Without saying that the proportions of the difi'erent'products mixed together can be changed. 7

Claims:

1. The herein-described process of converting petroleums and'other heavy liquid hydrocarbons 'of any origin whatever into distilling below 150 C.,which consists in mixing a body of finelydivided catalytic material with neutral substances free from considerable quantities of silica, to reduce the catalyzing property of said catalytic body; heating the mixture to C. and dark red heat; passing the hydrocarbons to be treated over said mixture; passing steam at the same temperature over the catalytic body to revivify the latter by the water gas formed by the passing steam; and subjecting the volatile products obtained from such treatment to hydrogenation in the presence of finely-divided metals heated to a temperature between 150 and 300 C.

2. The herein-described process of converting petroleums and other heavy liquid hydrocarbons into volatile hydrocarbons distilling below 150 (1, which consists in mixing a catalytic body of finely-divided iron with neutral substances free from consid erable quantities of silica, to reduce the catalyzingfproperty of said catalytic body; heating the mixture to a temperature between 400 C. and dark red heat; passing Hie hydrocarbons to be treated over said "II-IL the mixture with a binder which is free from I finely-divi' ed metals heated to a 1,152,7es f a substances free? from considerable quantities of silica, to reduce the catalyzin property of said metallic substances; agg omerating verting petroleums and other heavy liquid tilling below 150 C., which consists in mix- Witnesses:

hydrocarbons into liquid hydrocarbons dising a catalytic body of finely-divided mctallic substances with neutral substances free from considerable quantities of silica,

to reduce the catalyzing groperty of said metallic substances; intro ucmg the mixtureinto tubes lined with non-silicieus material; heating said tubes to a temperature between 400 C. and dark red heat; passing the hydrocarbons to betreated over said tubes; passing steam at the same temperature over the catalytic body to revivi'fy the latter by the water gas formed by the passa ing steam; and subjecting the volatile prod ucts obtained'from such treatment to hydrogenation in the, presence of finely-divided metals heated to a temperature between 150 and 300' C.

In testimony whereof we have signed this specification 1n the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PAUL SABATIER. 7 ALPHONSE MAILHE,

Av N'r J EANST, JUL-ms ZGUSSET. 

